


The Days Between

by Fabrisse



Category: Divergent Series - Veronica Roth
Genre: Between Insurgent and Allegiant, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-03
Updated: 2014-09-03
Packaged: 2018-02-16 01:16:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2250429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fabrisse/pseuds/Fabrisse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tris is in a cell, and Four is trapped by circumstances.  How they go forward from Edith Prior's announcement.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Days Between

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hilandmum](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hilandmum/gifts).



**Tris**

It takes awhile. Everything takes awhile. There are leaders, of course. Jeanine Matthews may be dead, but, as my brother Caleb has proven, that doesn't mean there aren't others -- some loyal to her, some loyal to Evelyn, some loyal to the faction system -- who will take advantage of the urge to let someone else make the decisions.

The worst part is the contempt, I think. I saw it in Evelyn's eyes as she sorted people "awaiting trial" -- how fair can a trial by a kangaroo court be -- into groups. The trials won't be public. It's anyone's guess whether the executions will be, or maybe we’ll just be sentenced to hard labor. I'll take every moment I have left. I've been executed once, and I've lived three days since then. They've been traumatic and tumultuous -- for everyone not just me -- but every breath I take is one more lungful I hadn't expected.

Cara and Christina are in here with me. We assume we’ll be tried together, two Dauntless and an Erudite -- or an Abnegation, a Candor, and an Erudite depending on how you look at it. Cara stays the same, both born and chosen to her faction. She’s surprised me in so many ways, and maybe that’s an Abnegation lesson: if you pull back and listen, other people have the _chance_ to surprise you.

Our wounds have been treated which seems funny to me. It may be a week or more before they get to my trial. Since it’s not public, surely it would be better if we died of infection or something before it comes. Or may be the Factionless leaders want to be seen as compassionate or … 

No. It’s too late to worry now. We have cots, bedding and pillows, and plenty of fresh water. There’s even a working toilet (though a little privacy wouldn’t hurt). I’ll bed down and take the chance to mourn: Fernando, the innocents at Erudite headquarters, the mind controlled, too many to count like rats in our tailor made maze.

There’s no dark here, no window to gauge the time. I just have to trust that sleeping when I want to will bring me to another day.

***  
The second “morning” in our cell is yet another surprise. I’d never really thought about exercise before I became Dauntless. 

Abnegation take the stairs everywhere, walk to the bus stops, walk when the buses are full, lift things as part of the distribution system, but I didn’t think of it as exercise when I was growing up. And Dauntless? Sometimes it seems like all we are is muscle. Christina and I warmed-up and then spent an hour sparring before yesterday’s first meal. We’d planned to do the same thing today with some isometrics thrown on top, but I notice that Christina’s warm-up is some sort of free-form jerky stretching thing that looks nothing like the strengthening sets or katas which make up Dauntless training.

Cara raises an eyebrow, and Christina stops and shrugs. 

Cara turns to me and says, like any Erudite imparting information, “Amity holds dances. Candor does what feels like the body’s truth at that moment. Abnegation…”

“Walks,” I say. “And Dauntless has systematic fight training. I suppose Erudite is above it all?”

Cara rolls her eyes. “Studies have been done showing brains work more efficiently, even going so far as to create new neurons, if regular exercise is maintained. We have a twenty minute set of exercises which will provide optimum usage of all muscles if performed at least three times a week, though most of us do them daily.”

Christina laughs. “You didn’t do them yesterday, Cara, so you have to do them today. It’s only logical.”

The crease between Cara’s eyebrows deepens. It’s interesting watching her make decisions. Will looked the same. She takes off her glasses and strips down to her camisole and underwear. For the next hour she teaches us the basics of her twenty minute routine. It’s harder than it looks, and I can feel it using a wider range of motion than my squats and jumps do.

When we’re done, we just nod at each other and drink some water. Then Christina and I set up to spar.

***  
The guards don’t talk to us. We get food, water -- including soapy water for sponge baths on the days we don’t shower -- and clean clothes every other day after the shower. I have to show Christina and Cara how to sponge bath without slopping water everywhere. Candor apparently has group showers, similar to Dauntless. Cara informs me that Amity swims and uses biodegradable soaps developed by Erudite. And Erudite rooms all have tiny private showers. I bet Jeanine had a bathtub.

***  
The next time I wake up, it’s with Cara’s hand over my mouth. She inclines her head toward the door. I go over quietly and lean my ear against the crack at floor level. Cara takes the other side of the door and the tops of our heads touch. The guards may not talk to us, but they talk to each other.

They wander off after about ten minutes, and Cara looks thoughtful for awhile. When she finally speaks, it’s quiet. “You know the players better than I do. What did you get from the conversation?”

“Mostly, that people aren’t supposed to talk about the film we saw, about Edith Prior. I don’t know whether Evelyn’s decrees about groups needing to be mixed is having an effect. How many of us actually know people from other factions, even if we’re related to them? I mean, our age group because we just picked our factions probably has a little bit more interaction across factions, but…”

Cara says, “What effect do you mean? What effect do you expect or do you think Evelyn expects the mixing to have?”

“It prevents shorthand. I can communicate with someone from Dauntless or Abnegation with very few words. Tone and stance tell me everything I need to know -- more than the words sometimes. My brother and I could probably still communicate that way, if we weren’t on opposing sides in this battle, but with any other Erudite I’d be hopeless. And forget Candor or Amity, I find both of them a bit weird.”

Christina says, “That’s because Candor and Amity _are_ a bit weird.”

I shake my head. “They make sense among themselves. But a Candor trying to communicate with an Abnegation would have a chance, maybe even with an Amity. A Candor is completely bewildered by Dauntless and Erudite.”

Cara asks, “Why do you say that?”

“We’re the two factions that lie at more than a social level. Amity would tell the truth because the Candor might be hurt if they didn’t and an Amity can’t bear to hurt people, right? And an Abnegation would just say, honestly, that they are not permitted to share something.”

“So Evelyn isn’t doing this for a factionless society, but as a form of social control. If we don’t know each other's communication patterns, we can’t plan a rebellion.” Cara’s thoughtful look is back.

“Well, that’s my take as a Dauntless. Well, I’m Divergent, but...”

Cara says, “But your training is dominating your upbringing.”

“Mostly.”

Christina nods. “It makes sense. Does that mean we’re unlikely to have much fresh air once we’re tried?”

Cara says, “Precision. Are you asking whether I think we’re going to be executed?”

“Actually, I was asking Tris.”

“Cara might be better for this one. Analysis?”

She leans back against the wall and steeples her fingers. “We’ve been in here at least four days so far, as best we can tell from our sleep/wake schedule. Mind you, studies have shown that our schedules tend to go to just over twenty-five hours rather than the twenty-four of the standard day, so it could be longer.”

“And that’s relevant?” I ask.

She sighs. “It’s part of the analysis. The longer it takes for them to bring us to trial -- as long as it doesn’t exceed, say, eight weeks -- the more likely it is for our trial to be relatively fair. And if it is, then we at least have a shot -- sorry, poor choice of words -- a chance that we will survive the process.”

Christina looks skeptical. “What happens at eight weeks?”

“I estimate, from the number of us I saw in the holding room and the fact that these are going to be tribunal hearings by the leaders, that they can get through all of them in six weeks. Holding us substantially longer means the new leaders are more likely to kill us outright with no trial or assign us as research subjects, which is still a death sentence.”

“I’ve already been one. I’ll suicide first.”

Christina’s eyes widen, and Cara nods.

I begin to pace. “Cara, do you think you can get one of the guards to talk to us?”

“It’s unlikely. They’re trusted enough to keep a top prisoner,” she points to me, “So they have to have been vetted for their position.”

“I understand.” I pace some more.

~~~~~  
 **Tobias**

I don’t expect it to hurt so much. Telling Tris to go with her captors without making a fuss was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. Christina is with her, and I think she trusts me, too. She’ll keep Tris from second guessing herself. I could see her muscles lock as they took her away. My Action Girl fighting her training, her instincts because she trusts me. I hope I can be worthy of it.

I’ve accused her of lying. She has. But with a little perspective I can see how big a betrayal it must have been for her to realize that I’d been in touch with Evelyn. We both hide things, trying to keep the burden to ourselves or just selfishly wanting not to have to think. I’m never sure which it is. All I know is that I love her and want to protect her. And that I’m worried I’ll lose her. 

***  
The first day of Tris’ captivity is the one that surprises me the most. I thought Evelyn -- mother -- would want to have big show trials. Instead, she’s called a meeting of everyone who can make it with written decrees and limited broadcasts for those who can’t attend. She’s trying to impose factionlessness from above.

Her decrees aren’t the equivalent of Abnegation working for the greater good: they’re a leveling of everything without regard to people’s wants or talents or intelligence. It seems like she’d rather surround herself with dumb and loyal instead of getting a wide range of input on how to change our society. Most of the factionless have axes to grind, they want to see the factions torn down and no one allowed to like peaches more than peas. Few see that tearing down without knowing what will be built in its place is a way to a demagoguery Jeanine Matthews couldn’t even dream of.

The biggest surprise is that I am the main order of business. I’m introduced as Four. Loyal to Dauntless, understanding of Abnegation, Divergent, and Evelyn’s son, Tobias. I’m the heir, I guess. Heir to Marcus, if I’d stayed in Abnegation. Heir to Dauntless, if I’d wanted political power, and now heir to Evelyn’s factionless government. It’s a good place to be if I want to save my friends, save Tris, but I’m still frightened by the implications.

***  
I have my own tiny room in the old Erudite Headquarters. Only a few of us do. I’m not sure if it’s the ones Evelyn trusts or the ones she wants to keep an eye on. I’m fairly certain I’m the latter.

We’re not allowed to lock our doors. Only the prisoners have locks, but I think back to my childhood and wonder how much my mother inculcated the rules of Abnegation. 

It shouldn’t surprise me that she just walks in after my shower. She touches my back. “I hate what Dauntless do to their bodies.”

I grab my clothes and go back to the small bathroom to dress. When I come out she starts speaking immediately. “Tris must go.”

“Go where?”

“You’re not an idiot, Tobias. Break it off with her. She’s dangerous. It’s not enough that she’s a hot head -- as long as you’re linked to her she can provide a focal point for rebellion. Without your approval, she can fade into the background where she belongs.”

“What makes you think she’s a focal point? The Dauntless leadership don’t trust her. None of the others is likely to trust her. She’ll fade into the background anyway when she’s released.”

Evelyn shakes her head at my naivete. “Her name is Prior. Erudite are saying she’s the most extreme of the Divergent. You know that, I think?”

I nod. “She’s very good at recognizing the serum landscapes quickly and finding ways out.” I hope that by giving her a little confirmation, I can keep her from finding out that Tris can manipulate any serum, even truth serum.

“How do you know, I wonder?”

“Mother,” I never call her that so I use it as an indicator of my exasperation, “I was her trainer. I know everything from her favorite food to the timing of her cycle. Of course I know her fear landscape.”

Evelyn nods. “Why do you have every faction on your back?”

I say, “Because just being one thing never made sense to me.”

“You think like a factionless. That’s good. Edward thinks I’m making a mistake with you.”

I shrug. “Edward is a good advisor because he knows how to think tactically. Tactically, I’m a weak point for you.”

For just a moment I see a smile, I see the mother I had before she left us. “But not a mistake. Think about what I said. You need to cut Tris loose.” She pats my cheek and says, “Besides, young love doesn’t last.”

I sit down and use calming techniques as soon as she leaves, but my hands are shaking. 

***  
Edward stops me the next day. “Seen your girlfriend?”

“No. I didn’t think anyone was allowed to see the prisoners.”

He snorts and his eye patch seems to ripple with his amusement. “Like you always followed the rules, Four.” He looks at me more closely. “Maybe this time you are. Mommy is offering you power, so you follow the rules. Or maybe you’re just a Stiff.”

I start to walk away and then change my mind. “The tribunals, how are they being handled.”

“You don’t know? Why should I tell you?”

“Don’t if it’s a secret. I wouldn’t want you to break the rules.”

Edward says, “It’s not a secret. People can even attend most of them -- as long as they don’t have anything else to be doing.”

“I completed my shift at the computers today, and I’m covering half a shift at the gates tonight.”

“Three leaders, mixed factions. Evelyn only sits in on the big ones, like Tris’s will be. We use the Candor truth serum. They free or condemn themselves by what they say.”

I nod. “And the sentences?”

“No executions yet. A couple of the ones who were high up in their faction have been sent out to Amity to help grow food. There are a couple of people who might get death sentences. The real trouble makers. I’m sure Jeanine Matthews wouldn’t have been allowed to live.” He walks away from me and then yells from the end of the hall. “I’d say Beatrice Prior is a real trouble maker.”

I keep walking.

***  
I’m allowed to perform any security duty that doesn’t involve the prisoners. I see that there is a special group of guards for the floor where Tris is being held: all of them factionless, most with Dauntless training. 

When my computer shift ends, I go sit in on one of the tribunals. Whatever else I can hold against Evelyn and her factionless coup, it seems like they are doing their best to be fair. Of the four I sit through, one is condemned to work at Amity, exiled from the city. He’s a Candor leader who probably didn’t need the truth serum to tell his tribunal what he’d done to undermine them and what he thought of their methods. Two are exonerated; one showed remorse and was sentenced to work burying the dead inside the walls. It’s nasty work, but it’s finite. 

I think about Tris, Cara, and Christina. Christina won’t lie. Cara would if she could to save her skin. But Tris… if she’s lucky, she’ll get exiled to Amity. I don’t think she’ll be lucky.

***  
Immediately after my shift the next day, I look for Evelyn. She’s hearing a couple of the cases before the tribunal. She knows she has to be seen sharing in the work, though I’m fairly certain she’s setting up a dictatorship. 

She smiles at me between cases and I wait for her to finish her shift. Her last case is an Erudite leader who supported Jeanine Matthews. I recognize her from my “experiments.” She took detailed notes on my torture. Hearing her admit it, hearing her admit what she did to Tris and to other Divergent in order to “preserve our way of life” sickens me. She’s sentenced to death. I know I pulled the trigger on Eric. I don’t regret it, but I wish there were another way. Then I see her face as I’m being tortured and realize there is no other way.

“Tobias, I was told you’d watched some cases yesterday. What did you think?”

“I think you’ve chosen the tribunals well. They’re thoughtful and fair.”

“Thank you.” She waits for me to state what I came for.

I have to judge this delicately. I spent most of last night awake in the dark thinking it through. Trying to escape with Tris -- and Cara and Christina because I know Tris won’t leave them behind -- would be complicated and probably self-defeating. The chances of our making it past the gate with a break out are slim. We can get there, but only if they’re exonerated. That means hoping Tris can control her responses to the truth serum.

“I’ve thought about what you said, about Tris causing me trouble.”

“And?”

“I don’t think you’re right, not ultimately. But I can see why she would be a liability to the new government right now -- a liability to all of us.” I know she won’t believe that I’ve come around to her if I say I don’t love Tris or if I pretend to do it for my own sake. The part of me -- of her -- that’s Abnegation will recognize putting the common good first. I hope it will be enough for Evelyn.

“Which means?”

She’s giving me the rope to hang myself. I have to speak very carefully. “I’ll break up with her. A few months from now, if I still feel the same way about her, I’ll talk to you again.”

“Before you talk to her.” She doesn’t even make it a question.

“Yes. I know that I might not be able to see everything. It’s why you have advisors and co-leaders, so we can steer toward the greatest good.”

There is a long pause while she assesses me. “I want you to break with her for good.”

If I agree, she’ll know I have another agenda. “No. I won’t tell her that I might reconsider. It wouldn’t be fair to her to hold on when she might find another relationship.” Just the thought sickens me, but I can see my mother nodding. She believes me. 

“It probably won’t matter. She acted against the interests of the city. She sided with the outlanders. Tomorrow, under truth serum, the best she and her friends can hope for is exile.” I don’t know whether to be relieved that she didn’t mention execution, or if Evelyn’s just being chary of my reactions. I try not to react to finding out her trial is tomorrow.

I hope I’m playing this right. I wish I’d been able to talk to Tris before Evelyn, but that would be impossible. “I think you’re wrong. I think she was manipulated. She hated Erudite for the torture. You heard what that woman said was done to Tris. But if you’re right, then there’s no worry. I won’t see her again. I won’t be able to.” 

There’s a small smile on her face that’s quickly suppressed. I wonder, not for the first time, if she has the same abilities I do, that Tris has.

“Very well. I accept your terms.”

“I’ll need a note for the guards?”

“Why?”

“Tris has the right to hear it from me in person. It won’t be five minutes, and her cell mates will be there.”

Once again, Abnegation shapes our responses. My reason is believable to her. She takes out a sheet of paper and writes a brief note. She shows it to me, and I nod acceptance. I have to go before six this evening, and I have a maximum of five minutes in her cell. The guards have to lock me in, but they won’t be there which makes my task easier.

“Thank you, Mother.” I see the look on her face and nod to her as a leader. “Thank you, Evelyn.”


End file.
